I'm going to continue with the Elvis Cole series with the follow up to Free Fall, Voodoo River. I can't remember the story of this one at all but I know it's the tale that takes Elvis out from the glitter and smog of LA and off and away to bayous of Louisiana (of course I'm gonna read a book set in Louisiana when THE SAINTS are preparing to win the super bowl whooo hooo). Crais is actually orginally from Louisiana so he was probably able to draw on his old memories of the place to colour the story...

Yep I'm looking forward to reading this and I've got three more Elvis Cole novels after that, that I'll read later on in this MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE FEST plus there's two more recent ones that I haven't read at all yet. All I'll say to you people if you haven't read Robert's stuff yet is get going!!! Get busy!! Get Crais!!

LA Requiem is one of my favourites. Great pacing.
He has a new one coming out later on this year. Kick-ass writer.

Trevor Patterson was an archivist in Kerry Wood. He lived in a rugged white cottage that overlooked the Balsam River. His hobbies were hunting, boxing, and skateboarding. He also liked to watch Doctor Who and Monty Python. Sometimes he read mystery and suspense novels. His favorite authors were James Ellroy and Stephen King. He lived a simple, carefree kind of life.

One day Trevor's happy-go-lucky life was turned upside down by an incident in the historical building where he worked. There was a fire that started in the boiler room of the basement. It destroyed hundreds of records, some of which dated back to the 17th Century. No one in the Department was above suspicion, according to the arson investigators. They were to be interrogated one by one in the next two days. All the employees were on edge while they waited for their turn in the hot seat.

First Trevor's boss was questioned. He was an Australian man named Jason Brightwell. Jason was more like a friend than a manager to Trevor. They often went to see films and concerts together. They both liked Black Sabbath and Judas Priest. Trevor wished Jason luck before he had his turn in the office.

The next to be interviewed was Melanie Michaels. She was the pretty receptionist who worked in the front office. Trevor liked her, but he never dared to ask her out. Her ash blonde hair was the same colour as the b*tch who shredded his heart when he was in business school. Tracy had hurt him, and he would never forget it.

Before his turn in the questioning room, Trevor ducked into the loo. He tied his long brown hair back with a scrunchie. It was far more reliable than a clasp. He didn't want his hair hanging in his face when the authorities were grilling him about the fire. Trevor was so anxious about the interview that he didn't notice one of the toilets was overflowing. Water began to flow across the ceramic floor tiles. Trevor turned around to leave, but he slipped and fell against a full-length mirror that was near the sink.

The mirror broke into a thousand pieces. Glass shards flew everywhere. Trevor looked at the spot in the wall where the mirror had once stood. There was a doorway that lead to another world. He stood up and gazed through the portal. Maybe it was the universe's way of providing him with an escape from his current situation. He was being pulled in two different directions. The hidden world beyond the wall was so enticing. After a minute of reflection, he decided to pass through the mysterious portal.

Trevor walked for half an hour until he came to a clearing. He discovered an emerald green valley with an aquamarine river running through it. A bright yellow-orange sun beamed down at him from its position in the cloudless azure blue sky. He bent down to smell the red roses and white lilies that were interspersed in the greenery. All sorts of small animals squawked and chirped around him. He was in the company of squirrels, butterflies, and hummingbirds. What sort of place was this? Was it Heaven?

Elated, Trevor continued exploring for another hour until he arrived at the southern entrance of a cavern. He was drawn to the cave by the sound of an ethereal voice. The song was so completely mystifying. He had to find the source. Because the grotto was dark, he used his penlight to guide him.

The song was that of an auburn-haired maiden with creamy white skin and pale blue eyes. She wore a black leather mini dress and matching stiletto boots. The woman sat beside a fire pit and enchanted him with her mezzo-soprano. He discovered that her name was Simone, and she was the exiled Queen of Dameris. The Ghouls had overthrown her family, and they were scattered far and wide.

They talked for hours and had many intimate moments on the floor of the cavern. After the fire died down, they walked through an assortment of stalagmites and boulders. In the middle of the grotto they were met by a winged beast with a spiked tail. It was Agramon, the demon of fear. Trevor was frightened beyond his wildest dreams because he had never seen a demon before. Simone, however, was well acquainted with the beast. She stabbed him in the heart with a silver dagger that she wore in her belt. Trevor was utterly amazed at the woman's strength and beauty.

On the northern end there was a roost of bats. They flew over the couple's heads like a bunch of annoying pests. Simone waved a wooden stick at them until they flew out the other side of the cave. Beneath the roost, Simone and Trevor discovered the Seraphim Scrolls. They were a thousand years old and written in Old English. Trevor was scared to touch the scrolls, but Simone encouraged him to read them. They contained all the mysteries of the universe. Simone told him to take them back to the land of his birth.

Trevor told Simone that would never leave her. He had already fallen in love with the maiden. Simone told him to return to his family because his purpose was in his own world. He asked if he could visit from time to time. Maybe Dameris would be his own private Narnia. Simone reluctantly agreed. Being an exiled queen, she had her own problems to deal with.

The couple left the cave and walked through the valley until they reached the portal. Trevor kissed Simone goodbye before he returned to Kerry Wood. Although he was innocent of any wrongdoing, he was not looking forward to his interrogation. He promised to return soon. Then he clutched the Seraphim Scrolls and passed through the portal that led back to the loo of the historical building.

Trevor left the loo and glanced at the clock on the wall. Somehow he had been gone for only two minutes. The questioning proceeded as planned. He explained to the detectives that he was shelving the archives on the third floor when the fire broke out, so he couldn't possibly have caused the inferno. The officers took his statement and returned to the police station.

The Department breathed a sigh of relief after the interviews had been completed. Trevor showed Jason the Seraphim Scrolls. Jason was truly fascinated with the discovery. When Jason asked Trevor where he found the archives, Trevor told him they were hidden in an unexpected place. Two weeks later, the cause of the fire was determined to be an exploded Samsung phone that was left behind by a terminated employee. Trevor visited the Kingdom of Dameris often. While his closest friends knew nothing of his attachments, he continued to see Queen Simone until the end of his days.

Trevor Patterson was an archivist in Kerry Wood. He lived in a rugged white cottage that overlooked the Balsam River. His hobbies were hunting, boxing, and skateboarding. He also liked to watch Doctor Who and Monty Python. Sometimes he read mystery and suspense novels. His favorite authors were James Ellroy and Stephen King. He lived a simple, carefree kind of life.

One day Trevor's happy-go-lucky life was turned upside down by an incident in the historical building where he worked. There was a fire that started in the boiler room of the basement. It destroyed hundreds of records, some of which dated back to the 17th Century. No one in the Department was above suspicion, according to the arson investigators. They were to be interrogated one by one in the next two days. All the employees were on edge while they waited for their turn in the hot seat.

First Trevor's boss was questioned. He was an Australian man named Jason Brightwell. Jason was more like a friend than a manager to Trevor. They often went to see films and concerts together. They both liked Black Sabbath and Judas Priest. Trevor wished Jason luck before he had his turn in the office.

The next to be interviewed was Melanie Michaels. She was the pretty receptionist who worked in the front office. Trevor liked her, but he never dared to ask her out. Her ash blonde hair was the same colour as the b*tch who shredded his heart when he was in business school. Tracy had hurt him, and he would never forget it.

Before his turn in the questioning room, Trevor ducked into the loo. He tied his long brown hair back with a scrunchie. It was far more reliable than a clasp. He didn't want his hair hanging in his face when the authorities were grilling him about the fire. Trevor was so anxious about the interview that he didn't notice one of the toilets was overflowing. Water began to flow across the ceramic floor tiles. Trevor turned around to leave, but he slipped and fell against a full-length mirror that was near the sink.

The mirror broke into a thousand pieces. Glass shards flew everywhere. Trevor looked at the spot in the wall where the mirror had once stood. There was a doorway that lead to another world. He stood up and gazed through the portal. Maybe it was the universe's way of providing him with an escape from his current situation. He was being pulled in two different directions. The hidden world beyond the wall was so enticing. After a minute of reflection, he decided to pass through the mysterious portal.

Trevor walked for half an hour until he came to a clearing. He discovered an emerald green valley with an aquamarine river running through it. A bright yellow-orange sun beamed down at him from its position in the cloudless azure blue sky. He bent down to smell the red roses and white lilies that were interspersed in the greenery. All sorts of small animals squawked and chirped around him. He was in the company of squirrels, butterflies, and hummingbirds. What sort of place was this? Was it Heaven?

Elated, Trevor continued exploring for another hour until he arrived at the southern entrance of a cavern. He was drawn to the cave by the sound of an ethereal voice. The song was so completely mystifying. He had to find the source. Because the grotto was dark, he used his penlight to guide him.

The song was that of an auburn-haired maiden with creamy white skin and pale blue eyes. She wore a black leather mini dress and matching stiletto boots. The woman sat beside a fire pit and enchanted him with her mezzo-soprano. He discovered that her name was Simone, and she was the exiled Queen of Dameris. The Ghouls had overthrown her family, and they were scattered far and wide.

They talked for hours and had many intimate moments on the floor of the cavern. After the fire died down, they walked through an assortment of stalagmites and boulders. In the middle of the grotto they were met by a winged beast with a spiked tail. It was Agramon, the demon of fear. Trevor was frightened beyond his wildest dreams because he had never seen a demon before. Simone, however, was well acquainted with the beast. She stabbed him in the heart with a silver dagger that she wore in her belt. Trevor was utterly amazed at the woman's strength and beauty.

On the northern end there was a roost of bats. They flew over the couple's heads like a bunch of annoying pests. Simone waved a wooden stick at them until they flew out the other side of the cave. Beneath the roost, Simone and Trevor discovered the Seraphim Scrolls. They were a thousand years old and written in Old English. Trevor was scared to touch the scrolls, but Simone encouraged him to read them. They contained all the mysteries of the universe. Simone told him to take them back to the land of his birth.

Trevor told Simone that would never leave her. He had already fallen in love with the maiden. Simone told him to return to his family because his purpose was in his own world. He asked if he could visit from time to time. Maybe Dameris would be his own private Narnia. Simone reluctantly agreed. Being an exiled queen, she had her own problems to deal with.

The couple left the cave and walked through the valley until they reached the portal. Trevor kissed Simone goodbye before he returned to Kerry Wood. Although he was innocent of any wrongdoing, he was not looking forward to his interrogation. He promised to return soon. Then he clutched the Seraphim Scrolls and passed through the portal that led back to the loo of the historical building.

Trevor left the loo and glanced at the clock on the wall. Somehow he had been gone for only two minutes. The questioning proceeded as planned. He explained to the detectives that he was shelving the archives on the third floor when the fire broke out, so he couldn't possibly have caused the inferno. The officers took his statement and returned to the police station.

The Department breathed a sigh of relief after the interviews had been completed. Trevor showed Jason the Seraphim Scrolls. Jason was truly fascinated with the discovery. When Jason asked Trevor where he found the archives, Trevor told him they were hidden in an unexpected place. Two weeks later, the cause of the fire was determined to be an exploded Samsung phone that was left behind by a terminated employee. Trevor visited the Kingdom of Dameris often. While his closest friends knew nothing of his attachments, he continued to see Queen Simone until the end of his days.